Bramblestar's 9 Lives
by ClawbreezeTheCat
Summary: Like Bramblestar's Storm, just different. Only mourning, 9 lives, and ceremonies (elder, warrior, apprentice). Flames are tolerated.
1. Chapter 1

_Brambleclaw took a deep breath._

He could still hear the crack of the spine as he killled his half-brother. Again.

_"Do you hate me, StarClan?" _he thought._ "Why do you hate me so much?! What did I do to deserve all this tragedy?!"_

Squirrelflight pressed against his flank. Tears leaked from between her eyelids. ThunderClan's beloved leader, Firestar, had perished. Ferncloud, Hollyleaf, and Mousefur had both died. Purdy was wailing softly as he lay by Mousefur's dark brown body. Dustpelt's amber eyes were dull with grief as he lay his chin on Ferncloud's limp head.

"Hollyleaf!" Lionblaze's voice cracked. Jayfeather looked immobile, lying, his blind blue eyes sharp with unidentifiable emotion. Happiness, yet sadness.

Leafpool looked unbelievably content as she put herbs on the wounds of the cats huddled beside the ginger lump of fur. But behind those amber [hazel] eyes, Leafpool was mourning for her father and daughter.

Brambleclaw licked Squirrelflight's shoulder. She forced out a purr.

"I'm sorry Squirrelflight. I've been such a mouse-brain. Now, with you as my deputy, we can be together. Will you forgive me?"

"Of course."

Two tails intertwined in this dark and devastating night.

"Brambleclaw. I'm sorry to wake you up, but it is time." Brambleclaw blinked away sticky tears. The moon was still high. He tore away from Firestar's cold fur. Jayfeather was standing there, next to Brambleclaw.

The dead cats' closest friends and relatives were still sitting vigil besides their family members. Squirrelflight was crouching next to Brambleclaw, Sandstorm next to her, by Firestar's head. Graystripe was near her, and Leafpool's head was by Firestar's flank as she snored softly. Her tail was resting on her daughter, Hollyleaf's, chin, as if she had been caressing her face when she fell asleep. Lionblaze, Ivypool, Dovewing, and Mousewhisker (Gasp) were sitting near Hollyleaf. The other two dead cats were further off, but Purdy was clearly licking Mousefur, while Dustpelt and his children lay by Ferncloud.

Brambleclaw sighed as Jayfeather began to trudge out of camp. Brambleclaw whispered, "I'll see you at the Moonpool, father." And he ran off after his medicine cat.

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** Okay, I thought Mousewhisker and Hollyleaf was cute, so I did that. And, umm, Purdy and Mousefur are just adorable, so yeah. Brambleclaw called Firestar his father, because he considered Firestar his foster father, just to clarify.**

**Kelly Clarkson: "Behind These Hazel Eyes"**


	2. Chapter 2

**HEY GUYS! I'M BAAAAAAAAAAAACK! I know I haven't been on in a bit. Free cookies and brownies for all! (::) [||]**

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All was cold. Brambleclaw felt as though his life was being stripped away. He wanted to know so many things, but darkness crept over him. Then, he felt warmth again. His eyes flung open. He felt absolutely empty. Jayfeather stood beside him, his eyes clear.

"Fourtrees!" Brambleclaw cried out. It was strange, half was Fourtrees, the other half the island. It made Brambleclaw confused.

"Ah…" Jayfeather murmured. "You do look like Tigerstar…"

That made Brambleclaw defensive. "What? And you've seen Tigerstar? You see… Me?" He was totally incredulous. Jayfeather flicked his tail as if it were obvious.

"I see when I dream," he meowed flatly. "If you want proof, you are a dark brown tabby with amber and a slightly lighter belly." His whiskers twitched in amusement at Brambleclaw's bewildered expression. "And I saw Tigerstar once." He flicked his tail as if that explained it all.

The stars began to swirl. Brambleclaw watched in awe as familiar faces appeared. Firestar, Mousefur, Hollyleaf, Ferncloud, Bluestar, Ashfur, so many more.

"Welcome." All the voices seemed to meld in one. "Now the ceremony begins."

Mousefur stepped forward. "With this life, I give you compassion. Use it to cherish the smallest kit to the oldest elder." As her nose touched his, Brambleclaw felt a whoosh of fire burn through him. It went slowly, from the tip of the ears to the tip of his tail. He wanted to yowl in pain, but there was no voice.

Brambleclaw gasped in pain as the fire disappeared. Mousefur stepped back, eyes gleaming, as a ragged dark gray she-cat stepped forward.

"I am Yellowfang," she meowed in a raspy voice old with age. "I am a medicine cat. I died sacrificing my life helping save Halftail and Patchpelt. You were there too, and I became trapped." Brambleclaw wanted to say something so badly, but his voice still would not work.

Yellowfang raised her head slightly. "With this life, I give you good judgement. Use it when times are hard and everything has gone wrong."

This pain was hard and crushing, but did not last as long. Images flashed before his eyes: A ragged furred tabby tom with Yellowfang, playing and hunting together; The same tom with Yellowfang, yelling; A small tabby kit with a crooked kit; that same tabby kit's warrior ceremony; death and destruction; Yellowfang feeding the crooked-tailed tabby tom blood-red berries. He caught a gleam of sadness in her eyes as she stepped back.

Ferncloud gracefully trotted over. "With this life I give you pure love. You know who needs it. You know." With this life, there was no pain, just a flower blooming in his heart.

Squirrelflight, he thought. Ferncloud nodded in approval as if she could read his thoughts and stepped back. "Send my love to Dustpelt!"

A lithe tabby tom stepped forward. "I am Runningwind. My life was in the paws of your father as I died." He shook his head. "Do not be sorry. All warriors must die. But not so soon." Brambleclaw was confused. Be sorry or not? "With this life, I give you endurance. Use it in the hardest run or the worst battle." This pain hurt a lot, but Brambleclaw was prepared.

Hollyleaf stepped forward. "With this life, I give you clear sight. Use it when the future is cloudy from even StarClan." A course of ice ran through Brambleclaw.

Brambleclaw found his voice. "Hollyleaf!" She looked at him in surprise. "Do not be ashamed of your heritage. If you ever are…" Bramblestar's voice was starting to escape him. "You have two fathers now." Hollyleaf's eyes filled with happiness.

"Father." She meowed.

"Daughter." Brambleclaw touched his nose to hers again and then she was back in the crowd of cats.

Next, Ashfur stepped forward. "With this life, I give you justice. Use it when you have been falsely accused." Brambleclaw felt a burning on his throat as invisible claws slashed him. Then, a cold, wet sensation filled him. He instantly knew he was experiencing Ashfur's death.

Two cats remained. Bluestar and Firestar. But Bramblestar needed three more lives. A rush of fear shot through him. _Maybe I'm only getting eight lives!_

Bluestar stepped forward. "With this life I give you confidence. Use it when your clan has lost all of theirs." He felt good, reinvigorated. But then something happened. He felt himself falling with something clamped hard around his foot, then crashing into rapid water. Was this how Bluestar felt when she was dying? He had no idea.

Firestar stepped forward. "With this life I give you pride. Always know that your clan was so proud of you. And just as you told Hollyleaf, I tell you. Tigerstar could not have been a worse father. I've mentored you, and we all know that you never had a true father to look to. But you always did Brambleclaw. You always did." With that, he glided back to join Bluestar and the others. He nodded at Brambleclaw and tilted his head, pointing to something behind Brambleclaw.

A beautiful golden tabby she-cat stepped out of a cloud of fog.

"Goldenflower!" Brambleclaw gasped.

"Oh my son. My precious son." She wreathed her tail around Brambleclaw, making him feel like a kit once more. "With this life, I give you hope, patience, and trust. Cherish your new gifts." She stepped back.

The entire StarClan began to chant, their voices melding together as one. "Bramblestar! Bramblestar! Bramblestar!" Bramblestar choked out a quiet _"thank you"_ and looked at Jayfeather. Jayfeather was fading. So was Bramblestar.

"No!" he cried out. "Goldenflower! I need you!"

"Don't worry," she murmured. Her voice sounded tinny, as if she were far away, which she was. "I will always be with you. When you sense me, I will be with you in times of need." Her scent disappeared and Bramblestar was plunged into darkness.

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**~~CB~~**


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